Soil Fertility Management In The Banana-Based Agriculture Of Central Uganda: Farmers Constraints And Opinions

African Crop Science Journal, Vol. 7. No. 4, pp. 559-567, 1999 Soil Fertility Management In The Banana-Based Agriculture Of Central Uganda: Farmers Constraints And Opinions Code Number: CS99047 ABSTRACT: Soil nutrient depletion is one of the root causes of declining food production in Uganda. Results of a study comprising a survey and group discussion with farmers in Mukono district, Uganda, revealed that farmers perceive continuous cropping and erosion as the main causes of soil fertility degradation. The most frequent resource input to mitigate the degradation was banana residue. Only 0.9% of the farmers use mineral fertiliser, applying it to annual crops (maize and beans) whose residue is transferred to banana. Farmers perceive manure, coffee husks, compost as best suited for effective soil fertility management but the relationships between farm size and use of cattle manure was significant and positive (P<0.001), implying a need for much land if one is to utilise cattle manure. Utilisation of domestic compost was positively related with households headed by females (P<0.05), implying that since they lack access to most resources and provide most of the agricultural labour, they resort to the more labour intensive but easily accessible domestic compost. Group membership shifted the predicted probability for adoption of coffee husks from non-adoption to adoption whereas access to credit facilities shifted the predicted probability to adopt chemical fertiliser from 0.06 to 0.99. Access to extension services was also significantly related to adoption of soil fertility management practice, particularly coffee husks. Provision of credit, information, inputs and involving farmers in the development activities appear to be major requisites for improved agricultural production in the area. It is recommended that farmers in the smallhold banana agriculture in Mukono district be availed with a variety of practices for soil fertility management to choose from because they have a diversity of resources at their disposal. KEYWORDS: Farmer opinions, Lake Victoria Basin, smallholder farmers, soil fertility Copyright 1999, African Crop Science Societ